Security

For months, The Londoner has been trying to find out who will represent the political classes at the Winter Olympics, which start in less than a month. Host nation Russia is under fire over its gay rights record. French President François Hollande, Germany’s Joachim Gauck and President Obama won’t go out of principle, with the US sending gay tennis legend Billie Jean King.

They have been joining up the dots —almost literally — on HMS Queen Elizabeth, the new aircraft carrier, the largest warship built in Britain, which is now towering above the rooftops in Rosyth dockyard.

Foreign dignitaries paid tribute to Israel’s former prime minister Ariel Sharon today at a memorial ceremony where he was described as a fearless warrior who devoted his life to protecting his country’s security.